Table structure



G H P O R T E R.

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A P P L l C A T l 0 N F l L E D J U N E 1 0 1 9 2 0. I 1,385,094. Patented July 19, 1921.

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TABLE STRUCTURE.

APPLICATmN F|LED1uNE10.192o.

19,1921. SHEET 2.

Patented July 3 SHEETS K IN1/Emme. E'ze'alvv EHPDP e1;

ATTORNEY Patented July 19, 1921.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3- ATTORNEY GEORG-E H. PORTER, 0F SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA.

TABLE STRUCTURE.

Application filed .Tune 10,

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that l, GEORGE H. PORTER, a citizen of the United States, residing at city and county of San Francisco and State of alifornia, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Table Structures, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to camp furniture and particularly pertains to a combined folding table and benches therefor.

It is the principal object of the present invention to provide a set of camp furniture comprising a foldable table and benches therefor, which may be arranged in a com` pact bundle so that they may be easily transported from place to place and be especially adapted for automobile camping parties, the structure being further provided to form accessible compartments within which articles may be stored during transportation.

he present invention contemplates the use of a foldable table used in connection with two benches, which benches are adapted to be nested, one within the other, and thereafter to receive the folded table in a manner to form a comparatively 'small boX- like structure which may be easily secured to the running board of an automobile, the tables leaves being adapted to swing upwardly to disclose a storage compartment formed by the nested articles of furniture.

The invention is illustrated by way of eX- ample in the accompanying drawings, in which` l Figure 1 is a' View in perspective illustrating the articles of furniture as nested together and in condition for transportation.

Fig. 2 is a view in perspective illustrating the manner in which the table is nested between the legs of the benches.

Fig. 3 is a view in perspective illustrating the table completely unfolde Fig. 4 is a view in transverse section through the table showing the construction of the legs and brace members for the leaves.

*ign 5 is a view in side'elevation disclosing the manner in which the two benches are nested, one within the other.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, 10 indicates a table having a central leaf 11 and hinged side leaves 12 and 13. The central leaf is rigidly secured to end p-anels 14. These panels are in turn secured together by horizontal rails 15 and a cross panel 16 which forms the bottom of a storage compartment which will be hereinafter Speccation of Letters Patent.

Patented July 19, 1921. 1920. Serial No. 387,878.

described. The width of the leaves 13 agree substantially with the space between the fixed leaf 11 of the table and the upper edge of the side rails 15. Thus it will be seen` that when the leaves are lowered to their folded positions they will be supplemented by the side rails 15 to form a box-like structure which may be used as a storage compartment. Suitable hinges 17 secure the contiguous edges of the side leaves and the lined leaf to each other. Brace members 18 and 19 are secured in hinged relation to each other by pins 20 and are free ends fastened one to an end panel 14C, and the other to a bracket 21, a pair of which are carried by the side leaves 12 and 13. A lock lug 22 is formed upon bracket member 18 and is adapted to hold the hinged joint of the members 18 and 19 without breaking, while supporting the leaves.

Secured beneath the floor panel 16 is a rectangular subframe comprising side rails 23 and end rails 24. This frame provides a compartment within which the legs 25 of the table may be folded when desired. B reference to Fig. 4 it will be seen that the legs are pivotally mounted upon pins 26 carried by pivoted cross bars 27. These cross bars fit between the side rails 23 and are freeto swing on trunnions 28 extending through holes in the cross bars. Due to this arrangement the legs may be folded toward each other in order to be disposed between the side rails 23 and may thereafter be readily swung to this position by virtue of the trunnions 28. Tn order to hold the legs to prevent them from swinging vertically when the table is set up for use, notches 29 are cut in the side rails 23. he legs are held in this locked position by means of a leaf spring 30 which is secured from one leg to the other and spans the crotch between the legs. This also willhold the adjacent face of the legs against a brace block 31 which is fixed to the cross bar 27, these blocks having faces with which the inner faces of the legs coincide when the table is set up. Brace members 32 and 33 are adapted to span the distance from one leg to the other and are secured together by pins 34 while being pivoted by pins 35 to the legs. A lock lug 3G is secured on one of these brace members to prevent the joint of pin 34 from breaking, thus holding the legs in spaced relation to each other.

1t will be noted that the `611115 0f the table leaves overhang the outer faces of the end panels 1d and thus provide recesses within which the legs 37 of benches 38 and 39 may eXtend when the structure is folded and ready for transportation. The construction of the benches is more clearly shown .in Fig. 5 where they will be seen to comprise legs 37 and seat boards e0. The bench 38 is adapted to be nested within the bench B9 and both are intended to be turned over and their upturned legs projected in the compartments at the ends of the tables. Side boards 41 form a part of the bench, these boards beingof substantially thesarne width as the rails 23. This provides an inclosurc within which the rails 23 may be disposed and by which this structure may be con cealed. The widths of the benches substantially agree with thc width of the central leaf of the table and in fact, the side leaves of the table when folded down conform to the sides ofthebench legs while the side rails 15 of the table register with the side boards i1 of the table 39 thus completing` a box-like structure, the outer faces of which are substantially smooth when the table and benches are packed.

In the operation of the present invention, the structure is packed as shown in Fig. 1 and may be carried by handles l2 which are secured to the legs 37 of the bench 39. The structure as thus assembled may be readily secured to the side or running board of an automobile. ln this position the outermost table leaf may be raised to disclose a compartment formed by the table and the benches and within which compartment artin cles may be stored or packed. Then it is desired to use theV tables and benches, Athe table is grasped by the rigid middle leaf and lifted clear of the bench legs after which the table legs may be swung downwardly around the pivotal axes of the trunnions 28, these legs vhaving` been friction ally held in position between the rails 23 by the expansive action of the springs 30. After the table legs have been swung clear of the rails 23, these springs will force the legs outwardly and when the legs have been brought to register with the lock grooves 29 willhold them in seated position therein.V force the inner faces` These springs will also of thc legs aga-inst the beveled faces of the center blocks 31 and will thus rigidly hold the legs outstretched. The connecting members 32` will at the same time fall downwardly and will lock the legs Vin their outstretched positions. The table leaves may then be raised andlocked as the supporting members 18 and 19 are drawn downwardly and the pin drawn past the common center of the pivot Vpins at the outer ends of the members 18 and 19. 'The benches may then be separated and inverted to rest upon their legs. A reversal of the operation as previously described would restore the benches and table to their original packed positions as shown in Fig. 1.

lt will thus be seen that the table and bench structure here disclosed, while quite simple in construction yet may be readily manipulated andfarranged relative to each other so that a small box-like structure'will be formed producing a storage compartment and at the same time permitting two benches and a table to be readilyunpacked and set up for use. f

While l have shownthe preferred form of my invention as now known to me it will be understood. that various changes in the construction, combination and arrangement of parts may be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of the invention as claimed.

Having thus described my invention, what l claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is: I

' 1. In a device of the character` described, a table having a fiXed central leaf, vertical panels rigidly secured to the opposite ends thereof, folding legs mounted beneath the vertical panels, a hinged leaf on each side of the fixed leaf and adapted to be folded down against the vertical panels and abench, which, when inverted may be disposed with its legs extending alongside the vertical panels and between the ove hanging ends of the hinged leaves. Y

2. Ina device of the character described, a table having a fixed central leaf, vertical panels rigidly securedV to the opposite ends thereof, folding egs mounted beneath the vertical panels, a hinged leaf on each side of the fixed leaf and adapted to be folded down against the vertical panels and a bench which, when inverted may be disposed with its legs extending alongside the vertical panels and between the overhanging ends of the hinged leaves, and handles upon the legs of the bench and by which the packed structure may be carried, a table comprising a top portion, a rectangular subframe therebeneath and secured thereto, pairs of pivoted legs disposed at the corners of said subframe and extending outwardly4 and downwardly to form a braced support for the table and means whereby the legs maybe drawn tof gether and folded upwardly to assume concealed positions within the subframe.

3. A table structure comprising complete ends and bottom, sides extending a short distance upwardly from the bottom, a top secured to the end member, lleaves hinged thereto and closable to meet the upper edges of the sides, a boX like open bottomed compartment beneath the bottom of the main box, cross bars pivoted therein, legs pivoted .t0 the cross bars to separate transversely, and

foldable and turnable about the cross bar pivots, to lie longitudinally Within the compartment.

4. In combination, a table composed of fixed ends, bottom, and low sides extending upward from the bottom, a top ixed to the upper ends of the box and forming a table center, leaves hinged to the edges of the top and closable to register with the 10W sides of the box, a compartment extension below the bottom of the box, of less Width, and forming an offset therewith, legs hinged to open or close transversely, and foldable longitudinally Within the compartment, a bench member comprising seat sides and extensions which form legs when inverted, said legs being formed to telescope with the sides and compartment ends of the rst named table section, when .closed together.

5. A table including a rectangular subtable and sub-frame when packed for trans- Y portation.

In testimony my hand in the Witnesses.

whereof I have hereunto set presence of tWo subscribing GEORGE H. PORTER. Witnesses W. W. HEALEY, M. E. EMORY. 

